Here’s an idea for what to do with leftover veggies

Today I decided to make a vegetable tart for dinner. I usually like to start cooking, well at least prepare, for dinner in the morning, just after breakfast. At this time, my toddler is able to keep herself occupied, play with her toys or do what ever she feels like doing. Now, if I would start prepping for dinner in the late afternoon, like I used to when it was just my husband and I, we would be eating dinner around 9o’clock pm. In the afternoons, my toddler just wants to hang out with me. And by hang out with me, means to sit, play and read with her, basically this is our chill session. No food preparation allowed full stop.

I had bits and pieces of left over veggies from the week… 1 lonely roasted sweet potato, 1/4 of a head of cauliflower, a few left over sprigs of parsley, coriander and dill. Throw in some caramelised onion, some garlic and heaps of cumin and there’s your perfect base for a tart – not including the tart shell.

I am all about adding nutrient dense herbs, spices and foods to my meals. I want to get the most bang for my nutritional buck, so to speak. Herbs are so full of antioxidants, fibre and minerals that it’s crazy NOT to use them. And the flavour they add is incomparable! I am also very passionate about fibre – the indigestible part of plant foods.

Fibre is an essential component when it comes to eating healthy. I mean it helps us to be happy, regular humans (by regular I mean, no constipation, going to the toilet at least 2 times a day); I want my toddler to be happy, my husband to be happy (makes my life easier), it also helps with blood sugar control, heart health, weight management, glowing skin just to name a few positives. And the average Joe doesn’t even meet the recommended daily intake of fibre, based on the standard Australian diet. No wonder there’s so many angry people out there 😉

I am sure you are aware that high fibre foods are your fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, grains and legumes. I avoid most grains so I thought to go for a tart pastry made out of legumes, chickpeas to be specific. I feel good after chickpeas and they do pump up the fibre (and nutritional) content in this recipe without making the dough very dense and heavy in comparison to using a wholemeal flour. I buy canned organic chickpeas, so 1 tin went into the tart pastry. It adds a lovely nutty flavour and keeps the pastry soft and light.

Anyway I hope you try this recipe, at least the pastry – the filling can be what ever you like, which ever herbs and veggies you have just lying around in your fridge. Zucchini, broccoli, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, basil, parsley, coriander etc.

Please enjoy…

Pastry ingredients

1 can organic chickpeas

40g brown rice flour

2 heaped tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour

½ teaspoon gf baking powder

30g olive oil

½ teaspoon Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt

What do I do next…

Preheat fan forced oven to 180ºC.

Line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.

Place all ingredients into TM bowl and process 5-10 seconds, speed 6 until chickpeas are a smooth consistency. Then knead for 1 minute.

Press dough evenly into the tin, base and sides, I like to use my hands but the back of a spoon is also fine to use.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. No longer otherwise pastry may begin to crack.

Filling ingredients

1 onion, halved and finely sliced lengthways

1 garlic, crushed

1 small roasted sweet potato, cubed

¼ head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

½-1 teaspoon Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt

1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin seeds

black pepper to taste

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

finely chopped herbs of choice: I used parsley, coriander and dill

2-3 organic or free range eggs

2 big tablespoons organic sour cream

Method

Over low-medium heat place the olive oil, cumin, onion and garlic in a fry pan, sprinkle with onion with some salt – this helps to release the onion juices and soften faster. Sautè for 5-8 minutes, until onion starts to gently caramelise.

Add the cauliflower to onions and cook a minute or two, just to take the rawness out of the cauliflower – it will continue to cook in the oven. Turn off heat.

Add the chopped herbs and mix until well combined.

Scatter the sweet potato over the pastry base followed by the herb mixture.

Whisk the eggs together with sour cream, salt and pepper; pour over the filling into the pastry case.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until egg mixture is set.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before taking out of tin. To serve: Sprinkle with more herbs or parmesan cheese or drizzle olive oil and add a large serving of salad.